Cushioning arrangement for railway car

ABSTRACT

A railway car underframe is provided at opposite ends thereof with end-of-car cushions which are disposed in a cushion pocket. Each end-of-car cushion includes a piston which is rigidly connected against longitudinal movement within the pocket and is provided with a cylinder having at its other end a connector plate engageable with stops provided at the forward end of the cushion pocket. The connector plate is also provided with a yoke having a coupler shank pivotally connected thereto and the yoke in turn is connected to a bellmouth housing to reciprocate relative to the end of the underframe. A spring is held captive between the end connector plate and a sliding collar encircling the cylinder. The end connector is provided with upper and lower pairs of bores within which slidable thrust elements are provided which normally are in engagement with the forward stops. During a draft impact the connector plate moves into engagement with the stops and upon cessation of the draft impact the connector plate is restored to its neutral position by the force of the coil spring which is in engagement with the thrust elements.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Willis H.Knippel Palos Pei-kill. [21] Appl. No. 882,941 [22] Filed Dec. 8, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 17, 1971 [73] Assignee Pullman Incorporated Chicago, 111.

I54] CUSHIONING ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY CAR 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 213/8, 213/43 [51] Int. Cl r. B61g9/l2, B61g 11/12 [50] Field ofSearch 213/8, 43, 22, 50, 50.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,265,222 8/1966 Goldman...................... 213/43 3,493,124 2/1970 Thompson.. 213/43 3,515,286 6/1970 Powell 213/43 Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Attorneys- Hilmond O. Vogel and Wayne Morris Russel] ABSTRACT: A railway car underframe is provided at upposite ends thereof with endof-car cushions which are disposed in a cushion pocket. Each end-of-car cushion includes a piston which is rigidly connected against longitudinal movement within the pocket and is provided with a cylinder having at its other end a connector plate engageable with stops provided at the forward end of the cushion pocket. The connector plate is also provided with a yoke having a coupler shank pivotally connected thereto and the yoke in turn is connected to a bellmouth housing to reciprocate relative to the end of the underframe. A spring is held captive between the end connector plate and a sliding collar encircling the cylinder. The end connector is provided with upper and lower pairs of bores within which slidable thrust elements are provided which normally are in engagement with the forward stops. During a draft impact the connector plate moves into engagement with the stops and upon cessation of the draft impact the connector plate is restored to its neutral position by the force of the coil spring which is in engagement with the thrust elements.

PATENTEU AUG] 7 l9?! SHEET 1 [1F 3 INVENTOR WILLIS H.

NIPPEL ATT x PATENTEU MB! 7 EH SHEET 2 BF 3 IN VE N TOR WILLIS H. KN/PPE BY M ATT'Y.

PATENIEO man 1 en SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR WILLIS KNIPPEL W y ATT'Y CUSI-IIONING ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY CAR SUMMARY The present invention includes an improved cushioning arrangement for an end-of-car cushion unit. The arrangement includes a double-acting piston and cylinder assembly with a piston rod connected at one end within a cushion pocket against longitudinal movement. The cylinder moves relative to the piston rod and in the buff position the cylinder moves through a collar which is held against a stop by the force of a coil spring encircling the cylinder and is held captive against an end connector plate provided at one end of the cylinder. The double-acting cushion unit provides for cushioning in buff and draft. During a draft impact the connector plate is moved against a stop during which cushioning occurs in draft. The stop end is in constant engagement with a plurality of thrust elements which are in contact with the spring and which are resiliently constantly forced against the stops. When the draft impact ceases the end connector plate is moved from the stops by the force of the coil spring urging the return of the cylinder to its-neutral position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially in section, of an end-of-car cushioning unit disposed in the cushion pocket at one end of the car;

. FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the arrangement shown .in FIG. 1;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A railway car underframe is best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 and includes a center sill structure 11 consisting of vertical webs 12 and a top wall 13. The vertical webs 12 are provided with flanges 14 at their lower ends which are suitably connected to a bottom plate 15. As best shown in FIG. 1, the vertical webs 12 are sloped outwardly to provide a flared structure 16.

A transversely extending stop block 17 is supported on the webs 12 .disposed inwardly a distance from the ends of the flared structure 16. A plurality of front stops 18 are connected to removable plates 19 and project inwardly into the cushion pocket space provided by the sill structure 11. A cushion unit 20 is provided in said pocket and includes a cylinder 21 having at one end an end connector plate 22 which is suitably connected to a yoke 23 in turn being connected to a bellmouth housing 24 by means of walls 25. A pillow block 26 is suitably supported on the yoke 23 and is adapted to be engaged by the end of a coupler shank 27 during a buff impact. The coupler shank 27 is connected by means of a pivot arrangement 28' to the yoke 23 in a relatively loose fit manner so that during a buff impact the end of the coupler shank 27 engages the pillow block 26 to thereby move the cushion to the left as indicated in- FIG. 3. I

The-cushion unit 20 includes an end connector plate structure designated at 29, which is rigidly held between the stop 17 and a, stop member 30. The connector plate 29 is suitably connected to one end of a tubular piston rod 31 which has connected thereto a suitable flexible accumulator boot 32. The cushion unit 20 is of a double-acting type in that it functions both in buff and draft impacts. In FIG. 1 the cushion unit 20 is shown in neutralposition whereas in FIG. 3 the cushion unit 20'is closed as during a buff impact. As best shown in FIG. 4, the stop 30 is of a U-shaped design and is positioned against a stop 33 as best shown in FIG. 5, which is of an inverted U- shaped configuration. The end of the cylinder 21 is provided with retainer ring segments 34 which, as best shown in FIG. 1, are normally in the neutral position engaged by a sliding collar 35 positioned around the cylinder 21. A coil spring 36 is held captive between the collar 35 and the end connector plate 22. A slide ring 37 encircles the cylinder 21 and is held against the plate 32 by means of the spring 36. The end connector plate 22 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending bores 38, as best shown in FIG. 6, within which thrust pins 39 are disposed. The thrust pins 39 are constantly urged into engagement against the stops 18 by the spring 36 which engages the ring 37 in turn engaging heads 40 of the thrust pins 39, the said heads40 being disposed in pockets 41 provided on the rear face of the connector plate 22.

THE OPERATION In the event of a buff impact on the coupler shanks 27 the cylinder 21 is moved to the left from the neutral position shown in FIG. 1 to the closed position or buff position shown in FIG. 3. As the cylinder 21 moves to the left the collar 35 engages the ends of the stop 33 while the cylinder 21 is moving to the closed position shown in FIG. 3. In this position the end connector plate 22 and thrust pins 39 have been moved out of engagement with the stops 18. After the buff impact ceases the spring 36 returns the unit 20 to the neutral position of FIG.

In the event of a draft impact the cylinder 21 moves to the right of the position shown in FIG. 1 wherein the retainer segments 34 and collar 35 are in engagement and move to the right with the cylinder 21. The thrust pins 39 are continually urged into engagement with the stops l8 and by virtue of the relative sliding relation of the bores 38 the connector plate 22 is freely movable against the stops 18 during draft impacts. When the draft impact ceases the spring 36 and its reaction on the ring 37 and the thrust pins 39 return the connector plate and cylinder to the neutral position shown in FIG. 1.

I claim:

1. In a railway car underframe including a hollow open end center sill structure, a cushioning arrangement supported at each end of said sill each comprising:

a hydraulic cylinder including a reciprocable piston rod and piston assembly, 1

said cylinder in an extended position having said rod projecting longitudinally outwardly from one end thereof,

a first stop spaced from the end of said center sill,

said piston rod having a first connector plate engaging said first stop to restrict longitudinal movement of said plate in one longitudinal direction,

second stop means on said sill engageable with said first connector plate for restricting longitudinal movement of said piston rod in an opposite longitudinal direction,

said cylinder including a second connector plate adjacent the opposite end of said cylinder,

a yoke connected to said second plate and having a coupler assembly pivotally connected thereto,

third stop means on said center sill on opposite sides of said yoke within said sill,

a collar slidingly supported on said cylinder,

retaining means on said cylinder engaging said collar,

a captive spring mounted between said second plate and said collar, H fourth stop means engageable with said collar during movement of said cylinder to a buff position,

yieldable means associated with said second plate maintaining said second plate in longitudinally spaced relation with respect to said third stop'during a neutral positionof said cylinder,

said yieldable means providing for' engagement of said said yieldable means being engageable by said captive spring to return said cylinder to said neutral position after a draft impact on said coupler assembly.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said coupler assembly including a bellmouth-shaped hous ing connected to said yoke for longitudinal movement therewith, and

a coupler pivotally connected to said yoke for swinging movement within said housing.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said yieldable means comprising a plurality of thrust elements slidably supported on said second connector plate each having one end engaging said third stop and an op- 

1. In a railway car underframe including a hollow open end center sill structure, a cushioning arrangement supported at each end of said sill each comprising: a hydraulic cylinder including a reciprocable piston rod and piston assembly, said cylinder in an extended position having said rod projecting longitudinally outwardly from one end thereof, a first stop spaced from the end of said center sill, said piston rod having a first connector plate engaging said first stop to restrict longitudinal movement of said plate in one longitudinal directIon, second stop means on said sill engageable with said first connector plate for restricting longitudinal movement of said piston rod in an opposite longitudinal direction, said cylinder including a second connector plate adjacent the opposite end of said cylinder, a yoke connected to said second plate and having a coupler assembly pivotally connected thereto, third stop means on said center sill on opposite sides of said yoke within said sill, a collar slidingly supported on said cylinder, retaining means on said cylinder engaging said collar, a captive spring mounted between said second plate and said collar, fourth stop means engageable with said collar during movement of said cylinder to a buff position, yieldable means associated with said second plate maintaining said second plate in longitudinally spaced relation with respect to said third stop during a neutral position of said cylinder, said yieldable means providing for engagement of said second plate with said third stop during movement of said cylinder to a draft position, and said yieldable means being engageable by said captive spring to return said cylinder to said neutral position after a draft impact on said coupler assembly.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said coupler assembly including a bellmouth-shaped housing connected to said yoke for longitudinal movement therewith, and a coupler pivotally connected to said yoke for swinging movement within said housing.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said yieldable means comprising a plurality of thrust elements slidably supported on said second connector plate each having one end engaging said third stop and an opposite end retaining one end of said spring against longitudinal movement upon longitudinal movement of said cylinder to a draft position.
 4. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said second plate having longitudinal open end bores within which said thrust elements are supported.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said yieldable means further including a ring plate slidably supported on said cylinder having one side in engagement with one end of said spring and the opposite sides engaged by said opposite ends of said thrust elements. 